Hello,
My family and I will be arriving in Rome on 5/21/10 at 10:00 a.m. and departing from Venice on 5/31/10. I have the flights booked, but that is it. The travelers include me, my husband and our three daughters (ages 15, 11, and 7). We definitely want to see Rome, a little of Florence (David), Pisa and Venice. The girls would like to see the coast and possibly Pompeii. I know we could make a day trip from Rome on the train/bus, but what about hiring a car/guide to pick us up at our hotel and take us there for just the day. The Tuscany countryside and Cique Terre look so beautiful, too, but I don't want to overdo. I am not sure when we will ever be back so I want this trip to be fabulous. Can anyone recommend an itinerary for us? Also, what about accommodations for five? Any recommendations for private guides for any of the places we might visit? If there is anything else that you think we should consider let me know. I can't wait to read your advice. I will probably be asking a lot of questions. Thanks in advance for your help!
Alice
Posted by
Cesena, Italy
791 posts
Hi Alice,
We just moved to Italy, been here 5 days or so and can't recommend anything above but would recommend learning a bit of Italian just for the fact that the Italians will appreciate it and will be more helpful when you need it....they really do like to see us Americans trying...mistakes and all.
Ron
Posted by
Taylor, TX, USA
416 posts
Alice,
Rome, Florence, Pisa (a daytrip from Florence and near the coast) and Venice is plenty to pack into 10 days. Pompei, south of Naples is a bit out of the way for this trip. You also need to take into account the amount of time it will take you to get from one place to another. Remember, it isn't just how long it takes to get from Rome to Florence, but also getting to your hotel, getting checked in and getting yourself situated. Another thing to factor in is how long it takes your teen and pre-teen daughters to get ready in the morning, LOL! Making the trip a little more relaxed rather than rushed can mean the difference between enjoying yourselves immensely and spending a lot of time dealing with tired, cranky children.
Posted by
Poulsbo, WA, US
223 posts
With this many days I would suggest keeping it simpler... My goal (and I am an uber light packer etc) is to alternate 2 and 3 day hotel stays. For me, that works best as it takes two days just to get the lay of the land etc. Start with making a list of your 3-4 "must" sees and start to make a plan off that filling in with the "wanna" sees
Posted by
La Jolla, CA, USA
39 posts
Hi Alice,
I have a detailed package of tips I've put together from our last trip which is almost exactly what you want to go to - Roma, Florence, Venice, Pisa, Cinque Terra, etc. We went from Rome to Venice so it's pretty much almost the exact itinerary you'd like. I can send you the details notes regarding transportation, accommodations, what to pack, cost, cell phone, etc if you'd like. I also highly recommend renting an apartment for your family. It's more economical and has a lot of extra ammenities. . I think it adds a lot more “local” feel to your trip and offers a lot of conveniences. Apartments will usually have kitchen and refrigerator, sometimes even washer/dryer. B&B’s offer complimentary breakfasts. Most B&B’s and apartments have free wireless internet as well. If you don’t mind not being in a fancy hotel, you can generally get a better location for the same cost or less if you stay in an apartment or B&B. Some sites to check out are: www.sleepinitaly.com, www.venere.com, and www.italyrents.com. Make sure that when you are considering a specific room/apartment to check what floor it’s on and whether there is an elevator/lift. Stairwells are usually narrow in older buildings in Italy and can be a pain if you have a lot of or larger luggage. If you ever dreamed of staying in an Italian castle, this is also possible, and a good option if you want to splurge or have a large group. Check sites like www.rentvillas.com and www.tuscanynow.com.
Our trip was essentially:
2 1/2 days in Rome (Colisseum, Vatican, Borghese)
1/2 day in Orvieto (on the way from Rome to Florence)
3 days in Florence (my tips give the details on restaurants, shopping, etc. including the Gucci outlet) with day trips to Siena, Lucca and San Gimignano
1 day in Pisa (could be just a day trip from Florence)
1 day in Cinque Terre
2 days in Venice
My tips are about 8 pages of detailed planning from start to finish so it may be helpful (and too much to post here).
Posted by
OP
Greensboro
6 posts
Jeannete,
I sent you a private message.
Alice
Posted by
Grafenwoehr, Germany
9 posts
My kids are 8 & 13 (girls too) and we are going to Rome in a few weeks. We are lucky and living in Europe so we don't have to pack everything into one big trip. But from experience I have realized that my husband and I and the kids have different ideas of a perfect trip. Our first trip to Europe we spent a week in Germany, a week in Paris, and a week in western Ireland. The kids favorite? Relaxing in Ireland in the little town we stayed in. My fav and my husbands was Paris and Berlin.
In our travels we have learned they like having a home base, get bored with too many train rides, and just really want to know that at some point they will be eating! They loved Venice when we went for Thanksgiving because it was so easy to navigate, but got tired of the bazillion churches we took them too. Any time we went up something so they could look down they liked that and of course they loved boating on the canals. We did a lot of wondering around and it was easy to navigate, because just when you think you are lost you hit the water and have to turn around! My youngest loves parks, so we try to find a park where she can run around and be free for a little while. There was one in Venice right by the new bridge over the grand canal. My older one loves to souvenir shop wherever we go, so that is her thing.
Have fun! If my girls end up absolutely loving something in Rome, I will add a post.